Multichamber apparatus for conducting leaching, washing, or like operations on solid or semisolid material



' W. RAABE IULTICHAMBER APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING LEACHING, WASHING, OR LIKE OPERATIONS ON SOLID 0R SEMISOLID MATERIAL Filed Feb. 7, 1925 Patented Mar. 9, 1926 UNITED stares WALTER RAABE, OF,COTI-IE1\T, ANI-IAIJI, GERMANY;

MULTICHAMBER- APPARATUS FOR CONDUCTING LEACHING, WASHING, 0R=I4IKE ;OPERATIONS 0N SOLID OB SEMISOLID MATERIAL.-

Application fi1ed.February 7, 1925. Serial No. 7,576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER RAABE, residing at Cothen, Anhalt,in the German Republic, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multichamber Apparatus for Conducting Leaching, Washing, or like Operations on Solid. or semisolid Material, of which thefollowing is a specification.

'This invention relates to apparatus for treating liquid andsolid or semi-solid material in admixture and has for its object an improvement in multi-chamber apparatus for conducting leaching, washing, or like operations on solid or semisolid material particularly for leaching sacchariferous plant cuttingsv or slices. on the countercurrent principle. i

In older apparatus of this type. itjis already well known to improve the work by providing between the leaching chambers partitions over which the material from which the sugar is .to be removed is conveyed, separate from the liquid, lifting members (see U. S..Patent No. 1,134,152).

Ithas been found that the separation of thesolidsubstances from the liquidin such apparatus canbe made still more complete if the material is passed over pervious surfaces, sieves, .or the like arranged above the liquid and the partitions, and the character istic feature of the present invention is the provision of such surfaces. The action is particularly favorable if the material is pressed with light pressure against the pervious surfaces by the lifting .inembers, as the separation of the material and the liquid is considerably enhanced thereby.

Sieves .for.the separation of the liquid from solid material are naturally known in general in leaching apparatus and it is also wellknown to form the lifting members pervious in the manner. ofq'sieves in such apparatus. .These known arrangements, however, are insufficient for the purpose, in view and consequently the invention is directed to the provision and use of the additional pervioussurfaces above referred to.

Inthe accompanying drawings is illustrated: diagrammatically, .by way of example, one constructional form of apparatus embodying the present invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a partial longitudinal section of s "9 over thetop 71; of which the liquid, flowing IE1'OYI1 left to right under the action of the inclination of the apparatus, flows in the direction of the arrow 11 (Fig, 2) from one "leachingchamber to the next, while the cuttings b are conveyed oppositely thereto in the direction of the arrow [72 overthe roo'f 'Z of theseparating chamber by lifting mem- 'bers or throwover devices an, which are also secured to the shaft 0. known.

According to thepresent invention above the walls 03 sieve-like or grid-like surfaces n pervious to liqu-id'are provided along which the material 7) to'be leached is conveyed by All this .is well the lifting members we. The liquid still adhering to the material thus finds anopportunity of flowing through the surfaces at in order then toflow by way of the holes 0" in itheroof Z'into the partof the separating chamber f to the right of the overflow wall 9 whence itflows back intothepart of the leaching .spacewhi'eh it has just leftwith .the consequence that a drawing-away of rich liquid into leaching chamberstraversed'by poorer liquidis prevented as much as spossible. A

As the throw-over devices m are set against the.walls d,n, at aninclination in the manner of a screw surface, a lightpress- 'ing of the material. 6 against the'sieve-like surface 01 takes place and thereby further improves the separation of the, liquid.

The material then 'fallsover onto the other side of the peak ortopedge p of .the.wall a and over surfaces 1' which are preferably ,also constructed so as to '-be previous to liquids. The front and rear pervious surfaces a and 1" constitute a roof- .like structure over the separating chamber Through these surfaces 1' it is possible 5 for any further liquid residues, which may have become separated, to flow back into the separating chamber and again into the right hand part. H

\Vhat'I claim is:- j v i l. A multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solid material and more particularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttingson the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting the "nonliquid material over the partitions, and liquid pervious surface members positioned adjacent the partitions so that the non-liquid material passes over the pervious surfaces in being lifted over the partitions. 2. A multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solid material and more particularly for removing sugar. from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting the non-liquid, materialover the partitions, and liquid pervious surface members positioned adjacent the partitions so that the nonliquid material passes over the pervious surfaces in being lifted over thepartitions, the lifting members being positioned adjacent the liquid pervious surface members to exert a light pressure upon the cuttings which are against the pervious surfaces during lifting motion.

3. A multi hamber leaching apparatus forsolid and semi-solid material and more particularly for removingsugar from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the countercurrent principle comprising. a drum, partitions in thedrum "forming leaching chama 'bers therein, liftingmembers for lifting the non-liquid material over the partitions, and

liquid pervious surface members positioned 7 adj acent the partitions so that the non-liquid r0 material passes over the pervious surfaces 1n being lifted over the partitions, each partition forming a separating chamber, a

transverse central overflow wall in. each chambeiga perforated roof on-each chamber,

5, each pervious surface member being posia tioned adjacent a chamber roof.

4. A multichamber leaching apparatus forsolid ,andsemi-solid material and more particularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting-the non-liquid material over the partitions, and liquid pervious surface members positioned adjacent the partitions to that thenon-liquid material passes over the pervious surfaces in being lifted over the partitions, each partition forming a separating chamber, a transverse central overflow wall in each chamber, a perforated roof on each chamber, each pervious surface member being positioned above and enclosing'a chamber roof.

5. A; multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solid material and more particularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the counter current'principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leachingchame hers therein, lifting members for lifting the nonliquid material over the partitions, and liquid pervious surface members, positioned adjacent the partitions so that the non-liquid material passes over the pervious surfaces in being lifted over the partitions, each partition forming a separating chamberja transverse central overflow wall in each chamber, a perforated roof on each chamber, each pervious surface member-being positioned above and enclosing achamber roofQthe lifting members being positioned to the far sides of the separating chambers with reference to the direction of flow of liquid material.

6. A multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solidmaterial and more par ticiularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting the non-liquid material 'overthe partitions, and liquid pervious surface members positioned, adjacent the partitions so that the non-liquid'material passes over the pervious surfaces in be ing lifted over the partitions, the lifting members being positioned adjacent the liquid pervious surface members to exert a light pressure .uponthe cuttings which are against the pervious surfaces during lifting motion,

each pervious surface member comprising a two-sided roof-like structure each side of WhlCll iS pervious. j I i V 7 A multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solid material and more par- {ticularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttingson the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting the non-liquid material over the partitions, and liquidpervious surface members positioned adjacent the partitions so that the non-liquid material passes over the pervious surfaces inbeing lifted over the partitions, each partition forming a separating chamber, atransverse central overflow Wall in eachchamber, a perforated roofon each chamber, each pervious surfacemember being positioned adjacent a chamber roof, the perforation in the roof being positioned a so: that liquid passes through the p'ervioussurfaces to that" side of the overflow Wall which is adjacent the separating chamber from which the liquid has just come.

8. A multichamber leaching apparatus for solid and semi-solid material and more particularly for removing sugar from sacchariferous plant cuttings on the countercurrent principle comprising, a drum, partitions in the drum forming leaching chambers therein, lifting members for lifting the non-liquid material over the partitions, and liquid pervious surface members positioned adjacent the partitions so that the non-liquid material passes over the pervious surfaces in being lifted over the partitions, each partition forming a separating chamber, a transverse central overflow wall in each-chamber, a perforated roof on each chamber, each pervious surface member being positioned adjacent a chamber roof, the perforation in the roof being positioned so that liquid passes through the pervious surfaces to that side of the overflow wall which is adjacent the separating chamber from which the liquid has just come, and means in each partition for conducting the liquid passed through the pervious surfaces, back to the separating chamber from which it has just come.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WVALTER RAABE. 

